Clip



De.31, 1940. -wRwmEY 2,227,290

CLIP

` Filed Sept. 19, 1939 TTORNE Y Patented Dec. 3l, 1940 'p v UNITED STATES PATENT `OFFICE CLIP William R. Wiley, Birmingham, Mich. Application September 19, 1939, Serial No. 295,651

` 2 Claims. (Cl. 24-73) The present invention relates to improved clips shape and is adapted to be attached to a sheet adapted for use in` securing moldings to `panel metal panel I4, such as one of the body panels members, such as automobile body panels, and of an automobile, at spaced intervals along its also to a novel method of applying such clips to length. The panel I4 is provided with a plusald )panelsrality of spaced openings or apertures I5, which in 5 One of the primary objects of the invention is the embodiment illustrated are circular, along to provide improved clips of the type mentioned -gthe line which the molding strip.l IU is designed which are leak-proof after having been attached t9 occupy when in position. to a supporting panel. y Y The molding I0 is adapted to be secured to the 10 Another object of the invention is to provide -panel I4 by means of clips, generally indicated at 1o a novel method of applying clips of the type men- I8, which engage the molding strip I0 and entioned to a supporting panel in which the clips gage the panel I4 through the Openings |6- The may be formed of cold rolled steel, thereby eiectclips I8 may be formed of cold rolled steel and ing economies in manufacture, comprise an imperfola-te bulbous base portion 20 Another object of the invention is to provide having a cross-sectional configuration at the base i5 an improved clip of the type mentioned in which thereof, which is indicated at 22, complementary the molding is resillently -attached to Ithe clip in Shape t0 the Shape 0f the aperture I6- In the through the resiliency of the molding. l embodiment i illustrated,V s u c h cross-sectional Another `object of the invention is to provide shape is circular so that when the bulbous portion an improved clip having safety stops thereon so 20 0f the Clip I8 iS inserted through the aperture 20 that the molding which is applied to the clip will l5 the edge 0f Suehnperture iS snugly engaged by not work 1oose therefrom.` Y the outer surface of the bulbous portion adjacent Other objects of the invention will become apthe base 22. `The clip I8 is reversely bent, as inparent from the following specification, the drawdicatedat 24, adjacent the base 22 so that a de- 85 ing relating thereto, and from the claimshereinpending annuler rib 25 iS'fOrIned Which snugly 25 `after set `forth. .Y bears against the top surface of the panel I4.

In the drawing in which like numerals are used A pair 0f upstanding, elongated attaching eleto designate like parts in the several views ments 28 are OppO'Sitely diSDOSed and are intethroughout: grally formed with the bulbous portion 29 adja- 80 Figure 1 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view cent the base thereof. The elements 2B are gen- 3o illustrating a molding attached to a supporting `erally rectangular in fOrIn and have the ends panel by means of a clip embodying features of thereof turned outwardly across` the upper corthe present invention; ners of the ends to provide outwardly extending Figure 2 is an end elevational view of the clip wings or ears 30.` Each of such wings 30 thereby l5 construction illustrated in Pig. 1; forms an upper cam edge 32 which slopes out- 35 Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the clip illustrated wardly` and downwardly, and an under cam edge VIn Figs. l and 2; f 34 which slopes downwardly and inwardly.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken substan- When the clip I8 is formed of cold rolled steel,

tially along the line 4-4 thereof, and also illusthe Irelative resiliency necessary between the o trating in broken lines the method by which the molding engaging means 0n the clip and the 40 clip is applied to the panel; molding is provided due to the inherent resiliency Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a tool which may of the molding |0- SuCh melding l0, due t0 the be used to apply the clip as illustrated in Fig. 4; `character of the metal by which it is formed, and I Fig. 6 is a top plan view of a modified form of due to its construction, may be snapped over the clip construction embodying features of the pres wings 30 and securely held against the panel I4. 5 ent invention; and, That is, the molding may be placed above the cam Fig. 7 is an end elevational view of the clip iledge 32 and such cam edge will force the facing lustrated in Fig. 6, and showing in broken lines the edges o1' the flanges outwardly so that such edges position of the clip with respect to the molding will snap over the ears 32. The cam edges 34 ,o and panel. will thus engage the facing edges of the flanges 5o Referring to the drawing, and referring par- I2 and urge the molding II) against the panel I4. ticularly to Figs. l through 5 thereof, a sheet According to the present invention, before the metal channel shaped molding strip I0 is illusmolding I0 is attached to the clip in its position trated having inturned edges I2. It is, of course, with respect to the panel I4, the clips I3 are first llJtO be underltwd that the strip IB is elongated in secured to the panel, and the bulbous portions 5g 28of the clips I8 are inserted through the apertures I8 so that the outer surface of such clips adjacent the bases thereof engage the edges of their respective apertures I8, and the annular ribs 2B bear against the surface of the panel Il so that a snug and secure closure of the openings is effected. In order to then attach the molding to the panel portions of the bulbous portion 20 are deformed outwardly to provide projections 36 which tightly bear against `the under surface of the panel I4 and lock the clips in position. These -projections deform' the metal of the base, but do not break through the metal, so that an imperforate base is provided.

A tool for practicing the method is illustrated in Fig. 5, which tool comprises a pair of arms 38, pivotally connected together adjacent one end thereof by means of a pivot pin I0. An actuating head is provided on each of the arms and such head comprises a reduced portion 42 having an outwardly extending projection ll.r The projections ll, on the respective arms, face in opposite directions and the width of the heads 42 adjacent the lower ends thereof are slightly less than the diameter of the bulbous base portion 20 adjacent the basethereof. The tool can thus be positioned within the bulbous-base portion 20 to the position shown by the brokenA lines in Fig. 4. By then drawing the handle portions 28 together, the projections 44 are caused to move outwardly against the inner wall of the bulbous base portion 28 .and deform the base at diametrically opposed points in order to pro# vide the projections 38 on the outer surface thereof. The clips arethus secured to the panel tl within the aperture I8, and this deformation of the base 20 to form the projections 38 bearing against the undersurface of the panel I4 draws the rim or bead 28 tightly against the outer surface of the panel I4 and also draws the outer surface ofthe base portion 20 against the edge of the aperture I6' so that a tight, leakproof seal ,is provided.

`After the clips are secured within the panel Il, as described above, the molding I8 may then be applied to its position with respect to the panel over the ears 28, as also described above.

Referring to Figs. 6 and '1, a modified form of clip is generally indicated at 58. This clip 50 is generally similar to the clip I8 above described, except that the rmolding attaching elements are in a dierent form. Thatfis the bulbous base portion 20 is provided having a base 22 and a bead or rim4 28 whichis positioned within the panel Il in the same way as' the clip above described, and is secured in the same way by means oil the deformed projections 36. The

molding attaching elements are illustrated at 52, which correspond to the elements 28 above described. lThe elements 52 are formed integral with'the base portion 28 in the same relative position as the elements 28 above described..

' The elements 52 are sloped upwardly and outwardly, as indicated at 54, and are then reversely turned so that'they then slope upwardly and inwardly, as indicated at 58. The portions 5l correspond to the cam edges 34 above described,`

and the portions 58 correspond to the cam edges 32 above described, so that as the resilient molding III is applied to the clip it is caused to spring or ride outwardly over the cam edges formed by the portions 56, and then snapped over the cam edges formed by the portions 52, and securely held against the panel I4. In order to prevent displacement of the molding III with respect to the panel, stops 58 are formed on the elements 52, and such 'stops 58 may be formed by slotting the elements 52 inwardly from the ends thereof and from the lower edges thereof and then turning such ends outwardly. It will thus be seen `that in the event that the inturned flanges I2 of the molding I0 tend to move outwardly, such flanges will abut against the flanges 58 and be locked against further movement in an outward direction.

From the above it will be seen that applicant has provided improved forms of leak-proof clip constructions, and has also provided a novel method of securing such clips to a supporting panel.

Formal changes may be made in the specic embodiments of the invention described without departing from the spirit and substance of the broad invention, the scope of which is commensurate with the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. 1A clip construction for anchoring a channel-shaped molding having inturned flanges to a panel having an aperture therein comprising a sheet metal member having a central portion adapted for locking engagement with the panel, wing portions formed integrally with said central portion, each vof said wing portions extending laterally in opposite directions to provide portions adapted to engage the exterior surface of said panel, said wing portions diverging upwardly from said laterally extending portions to provide cam surfaces adapted to engage the flanges on said molding and retain the same in engagement with said panel andoutwardly and downwardly Y extending projections near the upper end of said cam surfaces serving to provide safety catches to prevent/withdrawal of said molding over the upper ends of said cam surfaces.

I 2. A clip construction for anchoring a generally channel-shaped molding having inturned flanges to a panelhaving an aperture therein, comprising a sheet metal member adapted for locking engagement with the panel, wing portions extending from said central portion on opposite sides of said wing portions each comprising a lateral portion, an upwardly and outwardly extending portion andan upwardly and inwardly extending portion, and tabs lying in the plane of said last mentioned portion extending below said upwardly and outwardly extending portion to provide safety catches.

WILLIAM R. WILEY. 

